14 JANUARY 1966, Page 12

Cut-Price Journalism

SIR.—Charles Curran's article of December 31 on advertising and the press begins with four short staccato sentences. 'Britain enjoys a cut-price press. Its readers pay about half the cost of producing it. The other half comes from its advertisers. Therefore, a fall in its advertising revenue threatens its economic basis.'

An alternative sequence, which Mr. Curran might like to discuss at some future date, goes as follows: Advertisers produce goods. Readers pay for these goods. Advertisers pay half the cost of producing newspapers. Therefore, readers pay the entire cost of producing newspapers.

II Forest Road, Canihridee

D. R. FORSDYKE